Ten @ 10: Tis the season for street fests

Despite our wonky weather, we've officially landed in the season of street fests, when local neighborhoods take turns entertaining us with entertainment and eats.

Following, our favorite and most anticipated street fests of 2011, based on what we'll be eating, according to how soon:

Uniquely Thursdays begin June 16 in downtown Hinsdale, in a park right by the train station. I’ll exit the train and meet up with my husband, who will have a couple of lawn chairs in hand. We’ll join the crowd for some music and whatever food is on hand “from area restaurants.” Best bet: We’ll follow the scent of brats sizzling on an open grill, manned by some service organization. It won’t matter that much because the atmosphere will be fun, it will be summer and we can just sit and soak it all up. -- Denise Joyce

Due to Real Men Cook Chicago (June 19), I probably look forward to Father’s Day more than my own father and grandfather do. It’s rhetorical when I ask them, “Do you want to go this year?” There’s always a boatload of delicious food at the indoor/outdoor festival, and the entertainment and giveaways are (sometimes) as good as the food. -- Shamontiel L. Vaughn

Chinatown Summer Fair (July 17). I’ve never been before, but as a newly branded meat eater, I’m psyched to get my hands on whatever’s being offered in the foreground of the annual Lion Dance. -- Lauren Viera

Northalsted Market Days (Aug. 13-14) is an overcrowded, way-too-hot glory of a mosh pit. An icy drink from the Sidetrack slushie machines cools you off as you people watch. -- Joe Gray

The Chicago Korean Festival (Aug. 13-14) is my favorite place to eat. They serve Korean barbecued beef called kalbi or bulgogi, maki like rolls called kim bap and fried dumplings called mandu. But since it is always about a zillion degrees during this August festival, my favorite treat is the pot bin soo: fruit, syrup and sweet red bean paste over shaved ice. Yum. -- Monica Eng

The best Chicago street fest has always been, and always will be, Taste of Polonia over Labor Day weekend (Sept. 3-6). Not only are you swimming in strong Polish beer or vodka, but you feast on potato pancakes, sausages and perogies. Add in some amazing thrash polka bands and the tiny little old Polish ladies who can and will dance up a storm no matter what mohawked punk is playing the accordion, and you've got one hell of an end to summer. -- Sarah Jersild

Lincoln Square's German-American Festival(Sept. 9-11): The only place you'll see me hoist a one liter stein of weiss in public. Also, love the preztels there; this fest is a great place to carbo load. -- Stephanie Williams

Even though it technically takes place in the fall, I'm looking forward to Gourmet Chicago (Sept. 24-25), when the city's star chefs come out to play. -- Phil Vettel

Anything where the cevapcici guys show up, which fortunately is many festivals. The secret weapon is the red pepper sauce. -- Josh Noel